Hinges



Oct. 22, 1957 J. J. BRUNO 2,810,152

HINGES Filed June 21, 1954 IN VEN TOR. J10 J BRA/N0 United States PatentHINGES Jack J. Bruno, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 21, 1954, Serial No. 438,243

2 Claims. (Cl. 16-153) This invention relates to hinges generally andmore particularly to a type of elevating or lifting hinge.

It has long been the practice of home builders to install raisedthresholds or sills on all outside doors so as to provide necessaryclearance for rugs and carpets as the door is swung inwardly. On allinside doors, however, raised thresholds are impractical, and such doorsare provided with sufficient bottom clearance so as to pass easily overany floor covering.

Such clearance however, produces disturbing drafts from unheated rooms,and makes floors uncomfortably cool in the heated portion of the home.Cognizant of this situation, the applicant has as the primary object ofhis invention, the production of a hinge adapted automatically toelevate the door as it is opened, and lower the door as it is beingclosed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge of the typepreviously described, which is quick acting and positive in itsoperation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hinge of the typepreviously described, which has a simplified design and is extremelystrong.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hinge of thetype previously described, which may be conveniently adapted to operatedoors of dilferent weights.

Numerous features and advantages of the invention will becomeincreasingly apparent, after thorough consideration of a detaileddiscussion composed with reference to the accompanying drawingconstituting a portion of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of the hinge constituting the applicantsinvention, showing the resilient members and location of the slot andwedge elements on the hinge leaves.

Figure 2 is a section view taken substantially on plane 22 in Figure 1,showing the characteristic shape of the slot in the hinge leaf.

Figure 3 is a section view taken substantially on plane 33 in Figure 1,showing the characteristic shape of the wedge on the hinge leaf.

For a detailed description of the invention, reference is made to thedrawing in which numeral designates a hinge having a pair of relativelymovable leaves 12 and 14. A series of spaced and staggered countersunkopenings 16 are provided in the leaves 12 and 14 for the reception ofmounting screws not here shown.

Three aligned pintle lugs 18 are provided along the inner edge of thehinge leaf 12. A pair of spaced pintle lugs 20 are formed on the hingeleaf 14 so as to mesh in alternate sequence with the lugs 18. A space 22is provided between each of the two pintle lugs 20, and the associatedlug 18 disposed immediately therebelow.

A resilient coiled spring 24 is inserted in each of the spaces 22, andretained therein by a removable pintle or hinge pin 26. A head 28 isprovided on the removable hinge pin 26 and a similar head 28 is fixed inthe bottom pintle lug 18. A centrally and vertically disposed slot 30,having an inclined lower face 32, is provided in the hinge leaf 14.

Patented Oct. 22, 1957 In use, the hinge leaf 12 is attached to the doorframe not here shown, and the leaf 14 is connected to the door. As thedoor is closed, the apex of the triangular wedge 34 enters the slot 30and forces the hinge leaf 14 to assume the broken line position shown inFigure 1. With the hinge leaf 14 in this oifset position, the doorattached thereto is lowered an equivalent distance thus reducing floorclearance. As the door is opened, the coiled springs 24, automaticallyelevate the door so as to provide the clearance necessary for floorcoverings.

In practice, it is desirable to match the strength of the coiled springs24 in the hinge to the weight of the door it is to support and operate.Springs of the required strength may be inserted in the hinge by thesimple expedient of withdrawing the hinge pin 26, and reinserting thesame after the proper springs have been placed in the spaces 22 andaligned with the pintle openings in the lugs 18 and 20.

Based upon the foregoing discussion, the applicant is of the opinionthat his invention has fulfilled a long felt need in the field ofbuilding hardware, and has accordingly made a valuable contribution tothe related art. However, while the invention was described withreference to the details of a single embodiment, it will be appreciatedby those skilled in the art, that the principles involved aresusceptible of numerous other practical ap- 1. A hinge comprising twoleaves, a pintle pivotally 2 connecting the two leaves, resilient meanson the pintle yieldably holding the leaves in lateral alignment, a slotin one of the leaves having a transverse lower face and a wedge on theother leaf adapted to make sliding contact with the transverse lowerface of the slot as the hinge is being closed thereby producing relativevertical movement between the two leaves, such wedge and slot becomingdisengaged when the hinge is open thereby permitting the resilient meansto hold the two leaves in lateral alignment.

2. A hinge comprising two leaves, spaced lugs on the leaves, a pintlepivotally connecting the lugs together, a coiled spring on the pintlebetween at least two of the lugs yieldably holding the leaves in lateralalignment, a slot in one of the leaves having a transverse lower faceand a wedge on the other leaf adapted to make sliding contact with thetransverse lower face of the slot as the hinge is being closed therebyproducing relative vertical movement between the two leaves, such wedgeand slot becoming disengaged when the hinge is open thereby permittingthe coiled spring to hold the two leaves in lateral alignment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,579,363 Heinz Apr. 6, 1926 2,685,102 Forkey Aug. 3, 1954 FOREIGNPATENTS 220,428 Great Britain Aug. 21, 1924

